In Pakistan, the two official languages are Urdu and English. Urdu is the national language and serves as a lingua franca, widely spoken and understood across the country, though only about 9-10% speak it as their first language. It was chosen as a symbol of unity and is taught in schools nationwide
. English, a legacy of British colonial rule, is also an official language used extensively in government, law, education, and business. It is particularly common among the elite and in formal settings
. Besides these, Pakistan is linguistically diverse with between 70 and 80 languages spoken. The major regional languages include:
- Punjabi : The most widely spoken first language, spoken by around 37-44% of the population, primarily in Punjab province. It uses the Shahmukhi script, derived from the Urdu alphabet
- Pashto : Spoken by about 15-18% of Pakistanis, mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Balochistan
- Sindhi : Spoken primarily in Sindh province by roughly 10% of the population
- Saraiki , Balochi , Hindko , and Brahui are other significant regional languages
Thus, while Urdu and English are the official languages used for national communication and administration, many Pakistanis speak regional languages as their mother tongues, with Punjabi being the largest among them
